Railway vehicle truck frame



Aug. 13, 1935.

W. MsSHEEHAN El AL RAILWAY VEHICLE TRUCK FRAME Filed Oct. 19, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l mynfans rg v a mu mm .m& m Q6 mm :0 Wm m a Aug. 13, 1935. 1 w. M. SHEEHAN ET AL 2,011,017

RAILWAY VEHICLE TRUCK FRAME Filed Oct. 19, 1951 2 SheetsSheet 2 fi I y 7 Afforn'y Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED? STATES RAILWAY VEHICLE 'muoK FRAME;

William M. Sheehan; Merion; and Adelb ert o. Wintemberg, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignors to'General Steel Castings Corporation, Granite City,

111., a-corporation of Delaware Application octobe'r 19,1931, serial No.569,718

3 Claims.

This invention relates to railway rolling stock andconsists-in a novel railway vehicle truck? frame, particularly of the six wheel type.

, The object'of the invention is to provide a simpleandinexpensive truck'frame wherein ahollow wheel piece above the'journal'boxes is provided with spaced openings for providing access to thesprings of the equalizing system and their suspension" means contained in the wheel H piece; or to permit the removal of any one of the springs without necessitating *the removalofnny of the other springs in-ca se of a springfailure The invention'consists in all the novel features hereinafte'r disclosed 'and illustrated in the 2.0-

15 ""compan-ying drawings in which Figure 1 is apartialtop View of a truck frame bodiedtherein. 1

showing thepreferred form of-the invention em-- n 1 1 from the top of the inner sidewall of the wheel Figure-2 is'a vertical longitudinal section and" I interconnect the'whe'el: piece Z'and the transoms-l.

20 55' side view taken along the line 22of Figure l. Figure- 3 is-an end view of one corner of the truck showing an end -springin position. i

Figure 4 is a vertical transvers'e section taken 1 along the line 4 4 of Figure 2. s 1

Figure dish-partial top -view--o f a truck frame and illustrates a modification: of the invention.

7 Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section and side elevation taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

In the preferred form of the invention, a truck frame of the six wheel type is illustrated as having transoms I and bolster la and wheel pieces 35 2, having the usual'pedestal jaws 3 for receiving associated journal boxes A. That portion of the wheel piece 2 above the journal boxes is of hollow construction of varying depth, and longitudinal spaced openings are provided in the upper 40 face of said wheel piece.

A continuous equalizing system is contained in the hollow wheel piece and consists of a series of leaf springs 6, l; and 8, mounted upon the journal boxes 4, and flexibly interconnected by 45 means of shackles 9 and equalizers l0 pivoted on the walls of the wheel piece by spaced pins l9. Depending hangers I I, provided at the outer end of the springs 6 and 8, extend downwardly through the under side of the wheel piece and -50 are provided with spring seats l2 and springs [3 for yieldingly anchoring the ends of the equalizing system to the truck frame. 1

The openings 5 are of generally rectangular contour and are so spaced longitudinally'in the 55 upper face of the wheel piece 2 as to be directly over thel'eaf springs s; and s and are of sumcient size to permit access to said springs and their suspension means, and in case of a spring failure, to permit the removal of any one of the springs, particularly the center one, from the 5 truck frame without changing the position of or removing any of the other springs;

In. trucks wherein this arrangement ofsprings is used for yieldingly supporting the truck frame; these openings in the fwheel piece are of particular 10 advantage in that the time and workrequiredto remove one, or 'morebroken springs from" the truck frame is obviously les'sth'an the time required in previous arrangements whereothers or a all of the springsmust be removed'from the frame 1 inorder'to replace any one of them."

Reinforcing flanges lfl'andl5 extend inwardly piece 2 "andprojectover the truck'wheels Wand Reinforcing ribs1l8 project outwardly from and near thet opofgthe outer side wall of the wheel piece}; andwith theside wall form asubstantiallybhannefshaped section; These ribs |8'to gether with flanges l4 and l5se1ve to strengthen the upper, hollow section of theiwheel "piece around the*op'ningstherein, and the flanges M and l 5 serve also to increase the rigidity of the frame.

Brake hanger brackets I! are carried on the end continuations of the wheel piece 2 and are strengthened by the reinforcing flange M.

In such a rigidly reinforced construction of a truck frame as described herein, the end transoms usually provided on the truck frame would be unnecessary and can, therefore, be eliminated.

In the modified form of the invention, shown in Figures 5 to '7, a truck frame comprises transoms 2i and bolster Zia, wheel pieces 22 having 40 the usual pedestal jaws 23, associated journal boxes 24 and end transoms 25. That portion of the wheel piece 22 above the journal boxes is of hollow box construction of varying depth, and openings 27, 2B, and 29 are provided in the upper face, ends and outer side respectively thereof.

It is intended to use the same form of a continuous, equalizing system in the hollow portion of the wheel piece to yieldingly support the truck frame as described above in the preferred form of the invention.

The opening 21 is of generally rectangular contour and is directlyover the center leaf spring 38, and is ofsufficient size to permit access to the spring 38 and its suspension means, or the ready removal of said spring from the frame in case of breakage.

The openings 23 are of generally rectangular contour and of sufficient size to permit the removal of the end leaf springs 31 and 39 longitudinally from the truck frame.

The openings 29 in the outer side wall of the wheel piece are'of generally circular contour, though not necessarily so, and are. preferably in alignment with the inner ends of the equalizers 4!. These openings are of sufficient size to permit the insertion of bars through the side wall for compressing the center spring 38 in order to remove the shackles ill, and thereby facilitate the removal of the spring from the frame. Additional side openings may be provided adjacent the outer ends of the equalizers to facilitate removal of end springs 31 and 39 through end openings 28.

It is apparent with theprovision' of these openings in the Wheel piece that any one of the springs 37, 38, and 3%, particularly spring 38, may be removed from the truck frame without necessitating the removal of either or both of the other springs from the frame.

Reinforcing flanges 50 are provided along the sides of the upper and central portion of the wheel piece and extend longitudinally thereon substantially the full length of the openingZl to strengthen the wheel piece around the opening 21. Reinforcing gusset'members 5i, betweenthe transoms 2i and wheel piece 22, and end transoms 25 further increase the rigidity "and strength of the truck frame. 1 7

While the. truck frame may be either of the built up type or a one piece casting, the latter type has been illustrated, and is preferredbecause it is of more economical and rigid cone struction and eliminates the possibility of any parts becoming loose and wearing or becoming broken so as to necessitate replacement;

Obviously various features anddetails herein disclosed may be modified without departure from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of all features coming within the scope of substantially centrally located transverse member, a wheel piece and an end transom, said wheel piece being, at least in part, of hollow, substantially box-shaped section of varying depth, spring equalizer members in said Wheel piece, there being suitable openings located in the top, ends and one of the side walls of said wheel piece for facilitating insertion and removal of one of said members independently of the others thereof, there being reinforcing flanges projecting outwardly and downwardly from both sides of the wheel piece abreast of said top opening and extending longitudinally thereof to strengthen the wheel piece.

2. In a truck rigid frame, a wheel piece which is, at least in part, of hollow substantially boxshape cross section, spring equalizing members in said wheel piece, there being a suitable opening in the top wall of said Wheel piece for facilitating insertion and removal of one of said members independently of the others, reinforcing flanges projecting outwardly and downwardly from the side of said wheel piece abreast of said opening and extending longitudinally thereof to strengthen the wheel piece by compensating for the reduced section resulting from said opening.

3. A railway truck frame having a box-shaped cross section substantially throughout its length and including spaced pairs of pedestal jaws for journal boxes, the side Walls of the box-section of said wheel piece being provided with bearings for equalizer bar pivots and the top wall of the box section of said Wheel piece being substantially continuous from side wall to side wall and throughout the portion overlying said bearings, said top wall having an elongated aperture disposed to permit the insertion into the wheel piece and the removal therefrom of equalizer supporting springs overlying the pedestal jaws, and the side walls of the box section of said wheel piece being reinforced adjacent to the apertured portion of the top wall to compensate for the reduced section of the top wall.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN. ADELBERT C. WINTEMBERG. 

